LCSC baseball edges closer to Cascade crown

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. — It seems lately the Lewis-Clark State baseball team has found itself in some rather close games. When the Warriors were in that situation Saturday, they found a way to take care of business.

Senior first baseman Luke White hit a two-run, eighth-inning homer to give fifth-ranked LCSC the lead for good in the opener, then senior catcher Zach Threlfall’s fourth-inning home run in the nightcap was all the Warriors needed as they earned a 6-3 and 2-1 Cascade Conference baseball doubleheader sweep of Oregon Tech at Steen Sports Park.

“Offensively, we did just enough to win today,” coach Jake Taylor said. “We will need to be tougher down the stretch in the batter’s box.”

With the victories, LCSC (43-4, 14-3) edged closer to claiming the regular-season conference title. The Warriors, who have won four in a row and eight of their past nine, reamined 2½ games in front of College of Idaho (26-23, 14-8) after the Yotes swept Eastern Oregon 13-8 and 8-5 later in the day. LCSC just needs two victories today against the Owls (30-19, 9-9) in a doubleheader that begins at 11 a.m., and one loss by College of Idaho, to clinch the title outright.

The Warriors now are 6-4 in one-run games, 4-1 in games where they score just two runs and 4-2 in games when trailing after five innings.

Senior outfielder Sam Linscott was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored to lead the Warrior offense in the opener. Senior catcher Justin Mazzone also continued his hot hitting as he went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Senior Matt James and Threlfall each went 2-for-4, with Threlfall driving in a run as LCSC outhit Oregon Tech 12-9.

Kaleb Keelean went 4-for-5 with a double and a home run to pace the Owls.

Junior right-hander Greg Blackman (4-2) picked up the victory by allowing two hits and two walks in four innings of relief. He struck out six.

Jacob Miller (4-6) was saddled with the loss. He allowed 12 hits, a walk and five runs, all earned, in the first eight innings. He struck out three.

Each team tallied a run in their half of the first. For LCSC, senior shortstop Riley Way doubled, moved to third on a flyout and scored on senior outfielder Aidan Nagle’s groundout.

Oregon Tech got the equalizer as Keelean led off with a homer to right.

The Owls took a 2-1 lead in the fourth as Matthew Ortiz started with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, took third on a groundout and scored on Tyler Horner’s single.

The Warriors tied it at 2 in the fifth as Mazzone led off with a double and Threlfall followed with a single that scored sophomore courtesy runner Coy Stout.

Oregon Tech made it 3-2 in the bottom of the inning as Sean Tobin singled, moved to third as Keelean doubled, then scored on a third-strike wild pitch.

LCSC tied it at 3 in the sixth as Linscott doubled, moved to third on a balk and scored with two outs on Mazzone’s single.

The Warriors took the lead for good in the eighth and Linscott singled with one out, and White followed with his 16th home run of the season, this one down the left-field line. LCSC added some insurance as the Owls walked four batters in the ninth, the final one being White, who forced home Way.

In Game 2, Mazzone went 3-for-4 with a double and a triple and Threlfall was 2-for-3, adding a double.

Horner was 2-for-4 with a double to pace the Owls.

Junior right-hander Eric Chavarria (7-1) picked up the victory. He allowed five hits, a walk and an earned run in 5ž innings. Chavarria struck out four. Sophomore right-hander Cameron Smith earned his first save with a perfect final 1 innings. He struck out two.

“Our effort on the mound was excellent today against a very good OIT team,” Taylor said. “Trent (Sellers) and Eric (Chavarria) gave us quality starts and our bullpen was exceptional in both games.”

Patrick Arman (4-3) absorbed the loss. He allowed five hits, four walks and two runs, one earned, in six innings. Arman struck out five.

LCSC got on the board in the first. Way walked, moved to third on an errant pickoff attempt, then scored on senior second baseman A.J. Davis’ groundout.

Oregon Tech got that run back in its half of the second. Horner doubled with one out. Courtesy runner Alex Malcolm moved to third on a fly out, then scored on Mitchel Swanson’s single to center.

Threlfall then connected with one out in the fourth for his fourth homer of the season, a shot to left.

The Owls’ only major threat after that came in the sixth, as Keelean singled and Michael Tarakhchyan walked with one out. Chavarria induced Ortiz to pop out to White at first. Taylor brought in junior left-hander Joe Ball, who promptly threw a wild pitch to advance the runners to second and third. However, Ball got Brodie Marino to line out to Linscott in center.

GAME 1

LEWIS-CLARK STATE OREGON TECH

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Way ss 3 1 1 0 Keelean lf 5 1 4 1

Stout cr 0 2 0 0 Swanson 3b 5 0 0 0

Davis 2b 4 0 0 0 Ortiz 2b 3 1 1 0

Nagle rf 5 0 0 1 Marino c 3 0 1 0

Linscott cf 4 2 3 0 Malcolm pr 0 0 0 0

White 1b 4 1 1 3 Daily rf 4 0 0 0

Mazzone c 5 0 3 1 Tam rf 0 0 0 0

Threlfall lf 4 0 2 1 Horner 1b 3 0 1 0

Phillips lf 0 0 0 0 Peters dh 3 0 0 0

Canty lf 0 0 0 0 Cruz ph 1 0 0 0

James dh 4 0 2 0 Tarkhchyn cf 4 0 1 0

Sa 3b 3 0 0 0 Tobin ss 2 1 1 1

Macias ph 1 0 0 0

Totals 36 6 12 6 Totals 34 3 9 2

Lewis-Clark State 100 011 021—6 12 1

Oregon Tech 100 110 000—3 9 0

Lewis-Clark State ip h r er bb so

Sellers 5 7 3 3 0 8

Blackman (W, 4-2) 4 2 0 0 2 6

Oregon Tech ip h r er bb so

Miller (L, 4-6) 8 12 5 5 1 3

Hamilton 0.2 0 1 1 3 0

Poling 0.1 0 0 0 1 0

GAME 2

LEWIS-CLARK STATE OREGON TECH

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Way ss 4 1 0 0 Keelean lf 4 0 1 0

Davis 2b 3 0 1 1 Tarkhchyn cf 3 0 0 0

Nagle rf 5 0 0 0 Ortiz ss-2b 4 0 1 1

Linscott cf 5 0 1 0 Marino 1b 4 0 0 0

White 1b 4 0 0 0 Horner c 4 0 2 0

Mazzone dh 4 0 3 0 Daily 2b 3 0 0 0

Threlfall c 3 1 2 1 Tobin ss 0 0 0 0

Canty cr 0 0 0 0 Swanson 3b 2 0 1 1

James lf 2 0 0 0 Malcolm ph 1 1 0 0

Phillips lf 0 0 0 0 Macias dh 2 0 0 0

Updegrave ph 1 0 0 0 Peters dh 1 0 0 0

Signorelli 3b 4 0 1 0 Palmer rf 2 0 0 0

Tam rf 0 0 0 0

Totals 35 2 8 2 Totals 30 1 5 1

Lewis-Clark State 100 100 000—2 8 0

Oregon Tech 010 000 000—1 5 1

Lewis-Clark State ip h r er bb so

Chavarria (W, 7-1) 5.2 5 1 1 1 4

Ball 2 0 0 0 1 1

Smith (S, 1) 1.1 0 0 0 0 2

Oregon Tech ip h r er bb so

Arman (L, 4-3) 6 5 2 1 4 5Maloney 1.1 2 0 0 0 1

Dahlke 0.2 0 0 0 0 2

Bratton 1 1 0 0 0 0

Attendance — 110.